Archive for the ‘Tooting My Own Horn’ Category

It’s always so happy-making to hear of the great results my colleagues get after studying my business training and learning guides from the ACA Success Store.

One of my favorite colleagues, De’Lona Moultrie, who invested in The Whole Shebang, recently shared the fabulous success she has been having after following my consultation process included in that set:

As I also told Dee, I can only share my experience and expertise and what I know works. It’s YOU who makes the magic happen in your practice, and she is obviously bringing it!

Thank you for allowing me to share this, Dee. Much love and continued success to you!

Just type this code into the discount field when you check out and you’ll get this guide for only $74.50: itsmybirthday

One of the biggest problems in our industry is a proliferation of websites all saying the same things. Here’s how this happens:

When someone is new in business, they have no idea where or how to start crafting their website and marketing message.

So what do they do?

They look around at everyone else in the industry, see what they are doing and saying, and just imitate that (or worse, straight up copy and plagiarize).

They think, “Oh, this is what everyone else in the industry is doing and saying. That must be what I’m supposed to be doing and saying on my website, too.”

And then that’s exactly what they do.

So this is a common practice, but it’s not a good one when it comes to putting together your website and crafting your marketing message in a way that gets you results–i.e., CLIENTS.

The problem with this is they are assuming the masses know something they don’t.

What they fail to realize is those people did exactly the same thing as they are doing now, without any more knowledge or understanding–or success.

It’s this crazy, self-perpetuating cycle of monkey-see, monkey-do with people copying people who aren’t doing any better than they are.

On top of that, all copying what everyone else in the industry is doing and saying does is make you and your business that much more invisible in the marketplace. You need to stand out, not blend in.

In fact, websites that all do and say the same thing is one of the top complaints I hear year after year from clients who contact me. It’s completely frustrating to them.

And when you don’t give prospective clients any reason to see you as different, they always resort to price-shopping. Because all you are to them then is another box on a shelf… a commodity (the kiss of death).

You have to keep in mind: you are not your ideal client. And our own industry is not your prospective client or target market. You can’t look at things through your eyes or the lens of our own industry.

So now you might be thinking, “Well, if I shouldn’t do that, what DO I do? How DO I figure out how to write my own marketing message in a way that differentiates me and resonates with those I’d like to be my clients?”

You don’t even need to be a good writer (which is another myth people believe).

Not only do I share with you my own conversion system and exactly how to implement it on your own website in a way that is unique to you, I walk you step by step by step through the process of writing your own unique, compelling marketing message that speaks your target market’s language.

With my original patented, proprietary plug-n-play tool, your copy will practically write itself. There is no easier way to put together a website and craft your marketing message anywhere that I’ve seen.

So check out Build a Website that WORKS!, and if it’s for you, be sure to take advantage of this one day half-off offer. It’s gone tomorrow so act now.

And you know what would absolutely make my day? Letting me know how I’ve helped you in your business, how my products have helped you, and what you’re most excited about in your business from the help and guidance you’ve received from me and the ACA Success Store products.

Better yet, if you would tell others. I can’t reach others without your help and your recommendation is the best gift you could give me! I’ve got some big plans this year (plans that include traveling the country and meeting my ACA peeps all over the U.S.) and that means I have to get serious about promoting the ACA Success Store.

AND, I want to give YOU something in return. I’ve been trying to think of what I could do for you who are so supportive of me and my products, the help I give to people in growing and bettering their business and acumen, and the work I do in our industry.

What I came up with was INSTANT commissions on your referrals/recommendations! So instead of having to wait a whole month for payment of your affiliate commissions, they will be processed immediately within 24 hours.

Now, obviously, I only want you to give your endorsements and recommendations if they truly come from the heart and your own personal experience with the ACA products you’ve purchased.

Even if you haven’t purchased anything yet, you’ve surely gained valuable information and knowledge from the expertise and experience I share here on the blog, or on Facebook, or the free products you’ve downloaded. You are getting something valuable and worthwhile from my insight, otherwise, you would have left my mailing list and community a long time ago, right? And that’s value and quality that you can absolutely recommend in integrity to others.

So, if you share your praise, reviews, recommendations, testimonials (whatever you want to call it) with your friends and colleagues in the industry (on your blog, ezine, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, email, mailing list, wherever makes sense and will reach lots of people) and give them your affiliate link to the ACA Success Store, I will send you your 25% commissions on every sale that comes of it “instantly” within 24 hours.

I mean, if someone wanted to hand you a hundred dollar bill, would you turn it down? You can always use cash in your business, right? So I thought this would be an excellent way to give back to you for the all the love, support, referrals and recommendations you make.

I do need to mention, this is an experiment and right now, the instant commissions are for this week only. That’s because they have to be processed manually by a live human. We’ll have to see how it goes. If it goes well, I might just keep doing it beyond this week!

Oh, and if you’re not currently signed up for the ACA Affiliate Program, be sure and do that so you can get an affiliate link to share. Here’s the sign-up page: ACA Affiliate Program

My biggest, heartiest hugs and love to you! Thank you for letting me share in your business journey, for being part of my community and for being one of my online friends and colleagues! And thanks for making my big 5-0 day (and every day) great!

The other day, I was chatting with a colleague by email. She was sharing some health issues she was having related to weight so we got to talking about diet and exercise.

I told her I was huge fan of Jillian Michaels’s stuff because she’s not about fad diets and gimmicks; rather, she’s all about the science and knowing your numbers and eating healthy, nutritious, organic food.

When I recommended that she get Jillian’s books (particularly Winning by Losing), my colleague said she didn’t have money for food right now, let alone books.

Well, that just broke my heart, as I’m sure it does yours. I immediately set about mailing her my copy.

She is already a follower of my advice and mentoring, trusts me, and has some of my products and thinks highly of the value, quality and integrity of the information and education I provide in them. She could totally be referring others to my Success Store and earning 25% commissions from every sale for the recommendations she gives anyway!

And it doesn’t require any extra work or time beyond her usual participation in online industry groups other than replying to posts or emailing or PMing people privately whenever those opportunities to refer arise.

And, of course, she can also upload our affiliate image graphics to her website with her referral link attached for completely passive referrals.

So I told her to be sure to register so that she could start earning some side money to help improve her situation. It was a no-brainer!

It’s these types of opportunities that feel so good, so gratifying… to have something that allows me to share in success and give back financially to those who support me in my movement to elevate our profession and help others succeed by empowering them with proper business tools and education.

I see all kinds of opportunities on LinkedIn and various other forums, listservs and online groups where you could be referring others to the ACA Success Store (such as when they are looking for contracts—we have the best!—or want to learn about things I teach on such as pricing and packaging, how to consult with clients, writing their magnetic marketing message, etc.) and earning yourself some income at the same time. There are women who are earning an extra $400-600+ a month doing this, which is nothing to sniff at.

It’s so nice to hear back from colleagues who have purchased the business tools I offer in the ACA Success Store.

I love hearing how they’ve learned something new or see things in a different light now, as well as how they are implementing the information and tools in their practices.

I especially love to hear how they’ve improved their business, processes and standards and gained new and better clients after investing in my offerings.

I recently received a lovely letter from Julie Barnes of Let’s Coordinate, LLC:

“Good afternoon, Danielle… I wanted to thank you for the Client Consultation Process I purchased this week. I used it this morning during my consultation and it made the process so easy and less nerve-wracking. Thanks again!”

I received a wonderful review from Cheryl Harless of CH Enterprises on my latest guide, Understanding Your Value: How to Craft Your Unique Value Proposition and Cash In on Value-Based Billing Methodologies

“If you are ready to work smarter instead of harder, this workbook is a must have! Danielle has outdone herself with a wonderful, thought provoking, tutorial designed to make us really look closely at our business model and what we actually provide our customers. In Understanding Your Value: How to Craft Your Own Unique Value Proposition and Cash In on Value-Billing Methodologies, she encourages us to look beyond the current industry script, take the focus off of hours and dollars, and put it on what we really offer: value and results.

“Among other things, she teaches us the 3-step process of Fit, Focus, and Value – knowing who our clients are, the market they are in and then providing value-added services uniquely suited to these clients.

“This amazing guide is helping me to hone my own message and speak to my clients about the value I provide without having to account for every second. There isn’t a Virtual Assistant out there who enjoys tracking time, and this workbook teaches us how to get out of that nasty habit! I know I will use this tool over and over as my business grows and evolves!”

Denise Shears of Shears Virtual Advantage also sent me a lovely testimonial:

“This book is awesome! It so totally changed the way I thought about what I do and how I present it that I went right to my website and reworded my entire payment page! I can’t say enough about this book. I am printing it out and going to go through the steps Danielle suggests to get my mind, my business, in the right place to grow expoentially. I recommend this book for each and every Virtual Assistant out there, whether your business is just beginning or you’re a seasoned veteran. You can’t go wrong with it, and who knows, you may just learn a thing or two! “

Thanks, you guys! It really does my heart good to know my products and information are truly helping you and others.